1 Set your alarm, even when home
Remember to set you alarm whenever you leave the house, even for short periods. Make sure you set your alarm, using your night mode or part set. Don’t wait until you retire for the night.

2 Leave a light on
Having lights on timers or leaving a light on when you go out gives the impression someone may be home and is a deterrent to criminals. Outdoor lighting is great deterrent too as criminals do not like to be seen.

3 Let your security partner know if you are away or see anything suspicious
If you are planning to be away from home for work or holiday let your security provider know. They may be able to carry out additional checks of your property and be alert for any suspicious activity.

4 Lock away garden tools and furniture
Criminals will utilise anything they can to gain entry to your home so make sure that garden tools and furniture are locked away.

5 Make sure your alarm and CCTV are monitored 24/7
Have your alarm and CCTV monitored by a security partner. If you monitor your own alarm you may miss a vital alert when you are busy or as a result of notification fatigue.

6 Secure and insure
Make sure your valuable items are adequately insured, that you are covered for wearing watches and jewellery outside the home and secure items in a professionally installed and graded safe approved by your insurers.

7 Check that your Alarm, CCTV and Response plan will protect you when it matters
Ensuring the correct sensors are fitted to windows and doors means an intruder will trigger an alert before they gain entry to your home. Windows should have opening restrictors. External doors should have British Standard and insurance-company approved 5-lever mortise deadlocks. Patio/bi-fold doors are particularly vulnerable – existing patio doors can be fitted with additional security bolts to stop lifting and forced entry. Even the most advanced system is only as strong as the response it triggers.

8 Speak to your family members about being security conscious and prepared
The strongest system can be undermined by human behaviour. It’s vital that every member of the household, not just principals, understands their role in security. This includes, knowing what to post (and what not to post) on social media, recognising suspicious approaches, understanding who to call in an emergency, using a family “safe word” to confirm authenticity in stressful situations and practising simple response protocols for different scenarios.